*Spoilers for Ozark season 2 ahead*

Ozark’s second season arrived during Netflix’s most prolific year yet (it’s releasing around 700 original shows and films this year), but still managed to take over people’s evenings and weekends when it arrived all in one go on 31 August, 2018.

Netflix doesn’t release viewing figures – though estimates from third parties suggest its first season was the service’s most-watched title during the summer of 2017 – but Ozark seems to have hooked viewers once again this year.

So what of a third season?

Renewal status

Netflix has officially recommissioned the show, with Jason Bateman – its star, executive producer and frequent episode director – expected to return.

The streaming giant has confirmed that another 10 episodes are on the way, but have not confirmed a release date.

The renewal comes as no surprise as the second season was met with positive reviews from critics (you can read our spoiler-free review of season 2 here) and was nominated for five Emmys.

Release date

Season one arrived 21 July, 2017, with season 2 following on 31 August, 2018.

At the current pace, season 3 would arrive in late September 2019. It’s unlikely to be sooner than this, as shows tend to – if anything – take longer to produce as they go on, as they grow in scale and budget, and as the star casts become involved in other projects.

Cast

There is no news on new cast members as of yet, but season 2 saw the bloody departure of Jason Butler Harner (FBI agent Roy Petty) and Trevor Long (Cade Langmore), while Janet McTeer’s cartel lawyer character Helen Pierce claimed to be returning to Chicago.

Plot

Wendy Byrde (Laura Linney) had a bit of a Walter White moment at the close of season 2, when it became apparent that she not only tolerated a life of crime but enjoyed it. She ceased to be simply an accessory to husband Marty’s money laundering and instead took an active role in the family business, ordering the cartel hit on Cade behind Marty’s back. It was a dominant ending to the season for Ozark’s women, with Ruth Langmore (Julia Garner) also taking a larger role in Byrde Enterprises, becoming the manager of its new casino boat. With Cade Langmore, Roy Petty and Jacob Snell now all dead, the stage is more than set for a new antagonist to enter the frame.

More as we have it.